Book-rest for hotel-registers



(No Model.) 4

G. A. THOMPSON & 0. G. EMSHIVELLER.

BooK'RBsT PoR, HOTEL RBGISTERS.

` No. 521,488. Patented June 1-9, 18794.

- UNITED STATES PATENT.. FFICE.

CALEB A. THOMPSON AND OSKER G. EMSHIVELLER, OF TAZEVELL, VIRGINIA.

BOOK-REST FOR HOTEL-REGISTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,488, dated June 19, 1894.

Application iled May 3l. 1893. Serial No. 476,108. (No model.)

To al? whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that we, CALEB A. THOMPSON and OSKER G. EMSHIVELLER, citizens ot' the United States, residing at Tazewell, in vthe county of Tazewell and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Book-Rest for Hotel-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in book-rests of that class employed in co`nnection with hotel counters for the purpose of supporting in convenient and rotatable position hotel registers, whereby access to the book may be had at each side of the counter.

Theobjects of our invention are to produce a neat and attractive rest for this purpose, the same being adapted to conveniently support the book in a rotatable manner, and retain the same open at the current date for the purpose of registry; and furthermore, to provide a convenient support for the pens and ink, whereby they are constantly at hand; and, nal1y,t o provide an advertising device for supportlng in position for inspection business cards which may be viewed from either side.

Other objects Yand advantages of theinvention will appear in the following description,

and the novel features thereof will be par.

ticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawingsz--Figure l is a perspective view of a book-rest embodying o ur invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse -sectional View. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through one of the knobs. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the rotatable kadvertising device.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

The rest proper consists of -a metal table 1 which is cast with openings soas to render the same light, andthe table has formed upon its under side a depending bearingring 2 at the center of which there is located a depending stud 3. provided with a shallow groove or recess 4 to receive the b ack of the book. Arranged below the table and supported upon the counter l is a supporting ring 5the saine being of cast iron and hav1ng an outer bearing rim which receives the ring 2 for rotation. 1s provided withav central opening 6, and

The upper side of the table isv The ringv 5 through the same depends the stud 3. It will thus be seen that the table maybe rotated so as to present the book to the guest or to the clerk behind the counter either for the purpose of registering, assignment of room, or other memorandum that may be necessary.

Threaded studs 7 extend upwardly through the table 1 adjacent to theV outer corners thereof, and near the edges and upon these studs are located curved spring arms 8, said arms having their inner ends provided with eyes that take over the studs 7 and adapted at their outer ends to rest upon the leaves of the book and thus retain the same open at the current date, or any other portion of the book under inspection. Threadedupou the studs 7 are knobs 9, which maybe conveniently grasped for the purpose of rotating the table, the said knobs bearing upon the spring arms 8 and serving to retain them in position upon the studs.

An oblong box 10 is arranged at one corner of the table, and the said box is provided with lSo desired, but we prefer to employ it. This advertising device comprises a pair of verti- .cal standards 14, the same having their lower ends .provided with studs 15 that are let into ing formed in the table 1. The upper ends of the standards are connected by a transverse rod`17, which retains them in their relative positions. -The standards are provided at vmortises 16, as shown by dotted lines as betheircenters'with atransverse shaft 18, the

vends of which are let into the standards, the

latter forming bearings therefor.y Circular heads 19are arranged upon the ends of the lthe grooves are inserted pairsof glass panels 23 and intermediate advertising cards 24'arranged-back to back so that the reading 1nat-` ter thereof may be read at opposite sides of Ico the glass panels. It will be seen that the structure described forms a reel that may be rotated, and thus expose the various cards to the view of the guest registering.

Of course the construction of this advertising device may be changed as toits details, and in fact the details of the entire support may be altered Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In operation the register book is placed upon the supporting table, the back of the book resting in the groove 4 which permits the leaves to rest fiat upon the table and form a firm support for Writing. This support is further increased in firmness by the spring clamping arms that rest upon and press the leaves snugly together, the said arms also serving to retain the book open at a certain place and prevent accidental closing by drafts of Wind or otherwise. When a guest arrives the clerk in attendance grasps one of the knobs and rotates the table so as to present the register to the guest and after signing the knob is regrasped and the table rotated so as to present the register to the clerk who indicates upon the register the time of arrival, number of room, or other data that may be necessary and which is usually kept.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim is- 1. In a registenbook support, the combi nation with a rotatable table for supporting the book, of opposite standards having studs let into the table, a bearing shaft arranged in the standards, opposite disk-like heads ar ranged upon the ends of the bearing shaft and having pairs of radial grooves, transverse retaining strips connecting the disklike heads at the outer ends of the grooves, plus extending through the strips into the heads, and pairs of glass panels arranged in the grooves under the strips, substantially as specified.

2. In a register-book support, the combination with a table, of opposite standards, a bearing shaft arranged in the standards, op posite heads arranged upon the ends of the bearing shaft and having pairs of radial grooves, transverse retaining strips connecting the heads at the outer ends of the grooves, and pins extending through the strips into the heads, substantially as specified.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CALEB A; THOMPSON. OSKER G. EMSI'IIVELLER.

VVituesses:

II. O. BRITTAIN, J. M. KIfrTs. 

